Alpha Rho Chapter of Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity – A History The Peon of 1929 On December 6, 1929, Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity received a pe::on to the Supreme Council (then located at 636 Church Street in Evanston, Illinois) For a Pi Kappa Phi charter From a local Group oF men at West VirGinia University callinG themselves the Delta Epsilon Fraternity. The Delta Ep- silon men were orGanized in 1924 by “ten younG men oF Good standinG and reputa:on.” Their aims were hiGh, and their standard oF behavior, scholarship and accomplishment was exem- plary. OF the ten men, six were elected to Tau Beta Pi (the honorary enGineerinG Fraternity), three to Phi Lambda Upsilon (the honorary chemistry Fraternity), and two to Phi Beta Kappa (the honorary academic Fraternity). DurinG the three year period prior to pe::oninG Pi Kappa Phi, the men had an average annual scholarship rankinG oF six amonG 22 na:onal and local Fraterni- :es on campus. The Delta Epsilon ac:vi:es outside oF scholarship represented more than twenty campus orGa- niza:ons includinG the Drama:c Club, Football, WrestlinG, Intramural Sports, ReliGious work and other interests. The Dean oF Men reported the Group’s social ac:vi:es to be “uniFormly oF hiGh order and never had occasion to discipline the chapter in any way.” West VirGinia University President John Roscoe Turner was the author oF the 1929 pe::on to Pi Kappa Phi. “It will be a pleasure, I assure you, to welcome Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity to the campus oF the West VirGinia University. I am sure this would be oF hiGh profit to the University, to the Group oF boys who are pe::oninG you, and an addi:on to your own orGaniza:on which I trust will measure to the hiGh standards you maintain.” There is a level oF siGnificance to the President’s le\er and the Delta Epsilon Fraternity pe::on beinG sent on December 6 to arrive in the Supreme Council office by Founders Day on Decem- ber 10. The Delta Epsilon Fraternity members who pe::oned Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity were: John McLean Adkins Charles Wickline Hill Ellis Alton Bradley Theodore R. C. KinG Oscar D. EnGlehart Walter Ware Murrill Wellesley Day Fitzsimmons Charles Frederic Stewart Edwin Lee Fox Joseph Bartle\ Su\on Samuel Nathan Headlee Joseph Townsend Van Voorzien Edward Harrison HiGGs James Edwin Winter c1 | Page Alpha Rho Chapter of Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity – A History In 1929, the “eiGhteen substan:al brick and stone buildinGs” that comprised West VirGinia Uni- versity were valued at $4,462,000, and the enrollment was 2,407. Mountaineer Field had just been built For $500,000 and had a sea:nG capacity oF 36,500. This stadium would showcase West VirGinia University Football For the next 50 years. The West VirGinia men’s basketball team in 1929 had the dis:nc:on oF beinG the only colleGiate team to deFeat Pi\sburGh’s champion team. The “backyard brawl” started with Football in 1919 and was well established by 1929. Greek LiFe at West VirGinia University was thrivinG in 1929. The first na:onal social Fraternity was established on campus in 1883 and 46 years later had Grown to 21 na:onal Fraterni:es, seven na:onal sorori:es, five local Fraterni:es and three local sorori:es – 36 orGaniza:ons in total. Fraterni:es were Governed by the Council oF Administra:on and the Inter-Fraternity Council. There were also 35 Honorary Socie:es in 1929, many oF which exist today. Phi Beta Kappa, Sphinx, and Mortar Board are just a Few. Delta Epsilon Fraternity History Delta Epsilon Fraternity was Founded in the Fall oF 1924 by the efforts oF a small Group oF stu- dents, and the ins:Ga:on oF Head Coach Dr. C. W. Spears, a member oF Delta Kappa Epsilon Fra- ternity. The Group was Granted a charter by the University Board oF Administra:on on May 21, 1925. The orGaniza:on proGressed rapidly From its incep:on, socially and financially, and in the Fall oF 1926 moved into a house. The first Formal ini:a:on was held on December 12, 1926. The Charter Members oF the Delta Epsilon Fraternity were: John Coleman Geoffrey P. Jones Win. A. CosGrove, Jr. Lyle EdGar LanGfi\ Ben Evans GeorGe E. Phillips William S. Hayse Leo Clovis Shinn Edwin ChanninG Jones* J. EdGar Snyder *It is interes:nG to note that transFer student Edwin ChanninG Jones was a member oF Pi Kappa Phi’s Upsilon Chapter (University oF Illinois-Urbana/Champagne) and was probably influen:al in movinG the chapter toward a Pi Kappa Phi affilia:on. These men drew up the Cons:tu:on and By-Laws, Formulated a ritual, and desiGnated the pin and coat-oF-arms. Dr. Spears helped orGanize the Fraternity For the purpose oF pe::oninG Delta Kappa Epsilon, but no ac:on was ever taken in this direc:on. He lep the University to coach at the University oF Minnesota; interest in Delta Kappa Epsilon lagGed and the Fraternity bent all efforts toward buildinG a stronG local Fraternity. c2 | Page Alpha Rho Chapter of Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity – A History AlthouGh nothinG is noted in the Formal history oF Delta Epsilon Fraternity archives, the General belieF is that one oF Pi Kappa Phi’s FoundinG Fathers, Dr. A. Pelzer Wagner, was a visi:nG proFes- sor at West VirGinia University in 1928 and was introduced to the Delta Epsilon Fraternity. Dr. Wagner shared the history oF Pi Kappa Phi with the Delta Epsilon brothers, which may have per- suaded them to move toward choosinG Pi Kappa Phi For a na:onal affilia:on. The first Delta Epsilon house was located at 207 FiFe Avenue. In the sprinG oF 1927 because oF the Growth oF the Group it became necessary to secure larGer and more suitable quarters and they moved to a sixteen room house ideally located on the main street where it is within easy reach oF the University and the business sec:on oF town. (The house was located on HiGh Street where the current Post Office was built). In 1926 a Delta Epsilon Alumni Associa:on was Formed by the Gradua:nG Group. Each man agreed to pay yearly dues and to siGn a pledGe to pay $100 to the Fraternity within Four years aper Gradua:on; this money to be deposited in a Fund to be called the Delta Epsilon House Fund. The 1929 Pe::on was recommended by the FollowinG University representa:ves: Harry E. Stone, Dean oF Men I have personally and in0mately acquainted myself with the members of Delta Epsilon fraternity for the past four years. I have watched them meet and solve fraternity problems and grow in strength and influence thereby. I have a>ended their social funcons on many occasions and found them uniformly of high standard. I have had no difficulty in securing at all 0mes the will- ing coopera0on of this group with the University administra0on. At present Delta Epsilon has twenty acve members and twelve pledges. It is represented in a wide variety of campus organiza0ons and acvi0es, athle0c, scholas0c, musical, drama0c and religious. It is above the average in scholarship, has the respect of other fraterni0es, is in sound financial condi0on, and in every way is worthy of membership in a fraternity with the splendid reputa0on Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity enjoys. Ruth D. Noer, Ac:nG Dean oF Women I am very happy to be able to recommend for your considera0on the Delta Epsilon fraternity of West Virginia University. This is a group of fine men, who have maintained always a creditable reputa0on on this campus both scholas0cally and socially. I believe you will find them worthy of a charter and we should be very happy to see a chapter of Pi Kappa Phi on the campus. c3 | Page Alpha Rho Chapter of Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity – A History L. Val Hood, Inter-Fraternity Council President The Interfraternity Council of West Virginia University has received a pe00on from Delta Epsilon Fraternity reques0ng our permission to pe00on Pi Kappa Phi. The Council has granted this per- mission and we should like to have the privilege of recommending this group to you. Delta Epsilon has enjoyed a steady and well balanced growth since its incep0on, and is now the outstanding local on the West Virginia campus. We would like to see them affiliated with a na- 0onal fraternity and do not hesitate to recommend them to Pi Kappa Phi. We would be glad to welcome Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity to our campus. Dr, Montagu F. Modder, ProFessor oF EnGlish I am informed that Delta Epsilon is applying for a charter from your organiza0on. I have been closely associated with this group of young men for the past two years during which it has grown and progressed in a very sa0sfactory manner. These boys are among the most represen- ta0ve on the campus; they are leaders in scholarship, athle0cs, poli0cs and social affairs. I am sure these boys would be a credit to a na0onal organiza0on. A. L. Darby, Chairman oF University Social Commi\ee I take pleasure in recommending to you Delta Epsilon Fraternity, which is seeking admission into Pi Kappa Phi. Delta Epsilon has been on our campus since 1925 and was founded, and has been guided, but prominent faculty members. It has a membership of strong students many being outstanding on the campus. We have plenty of room for another na0onal fraternity, and would welcome in our midst Pi Kappa Phi.